Simple Solutions vs. Easy

I noted a bad habit I’ve gotten into and I’ve seen others exhibit as well.

I’d be willing to bet you have, too.

Why? I honestly think it’s a human nature deal…nothing wrong with us (other than that which is wrong with EVERY human!), just a weird little quirk we have.

Whenever I look at a problem and try to solve it, oftentimes I look for the solution I WANT and would like to see “fit” vs. the solution that is most simple and more importantly, most likely to be successful.

So often we get lost in the solution itself rather than something as simple as, “Hey, here’s the problem. Here’s the simple solution.”

Now, simple does not mean it will be easy.

Hence, we try to make things more complex to make them simple.

Whew, that’s a round-robin of words if I ever saw one.

Let me break this down:

…Say you have an employee that just isn’t getting it. Nothing you do seems to help. They’re slow. Unconscious. Disconnected.

So, you try everything you have in your arsenal to “save ’em.” To FIX the problem or their behavior.

Nothing seems to work. You invest hours, money, more time, more money. Still, the terd you started with is the terd you’ve still got.

You’ve taken something that has a simple solution (yet, not an easy solution) and made it hopelessly complex. And, in the process, what you’ve tried to fix, has done nothing but agitate the employee.

The SIMPLE solution is to can ’em. Do them and you a favor and just can ’em.

I didn’t say it was easy, did I?

In fact, that simple solution is very hard to do, right?

But, think of the time, money, heartache and frustration you’d have saved if you instead dedicated yourself to SIMPLE solutions vs. complex.

One night of sleep lost (for firing someone – although I don’t lose sleep over that anymore) vs. endless days, weeks of frustration.

The next time you’ve got a tough problem, don’t cop out on the complex, easier solution. Go for the fast and simple solution.

“Men are idiots. Women are psycho.” One of the Sister Wives on the hit TV Show on TLC, “Sister Wives”